Trees or shrubs, sometimes scandent, epiphytic or semi-epiphytic. Leaves petiolate or sometimes sessile; stipules connate into an ocrea which usually splits early into 2 axillary scales; leaf blade margin entire or rarely crenulate, veins often inconspicuous. Flowers terminal or axillary, solitary or in cymes forming racemes, corymbs, or panicles, 5-merous, large. Calyx deeply divided; lobes broad, thick, imbricate, base inside with colleters. Corolla funnelform to salverform, with a long tube; lobes shorter than tube, contorted, overlapping to right in bud. Stamens inserted at or near corolla mouth, often exserted; filaments filiform; anthers introrse. Ovary 1-locular with parietal placentation or 2-locular with axillary placentation, with many ovules per locule. Style filiform to thick; stigma capitate, obconical, peltate, or 2-cleft. Berries globose to ellipsoid, 1- or 2-locular, many-seeded. Endosperm horny.

About 35 species: SE Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands; one species in China.